The present invention relates to a tool which is suitable for being positioned within a first tubular member and capable of expanding that tubular member into tight sealing engagement with the interior of a second tubular member surrounding the first tubular member. This tool is particularly useful in the forging of connections between tubular members or of a tubular member into a ring such as a hanger within a well bore.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,663 discloses pressure forming of a tubular member in an underwater location to provide a connection between two tubular members, such as in repair of an undersea pipeline. This tool utilizes a metal mandrel which is surrounded by an elastomeric sleeve which engages the tubular member to be formed and pressure is delivered to the interior of the elastomeric sleeve which is sufficient to deform the tubular member outwardly into tight sealing engagement with the annular member it is to engage. U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,626 discloses a similar structure and U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,752 discloses another type of forming tool which subjects the elastomeric sleeve to axial loading to cause it to expand the tubular member radially outward.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,134,311 discloses the mechanical forming of a casing string into the interior of a casing head through the use of rollers which are forced outwardly by the action of a conical surface. Other mechanical means are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,191,677 and 3,712,376.
Explosives have been used within tubular members to cause them to be deformed radially outward as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,434,194.
A similar tool is disclosed in applications for U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 07/106,803 filed Oct. 13, 1987 and Ser. No. 07/114,422, filed Oct. 28, 1988. These tools are similar to the present invention but do not provide the structure which results in the advantages provided by the present invention as hereinafter stated.